Force feed lubricator



Feb. 27, 1934. FRIES 1,949,272

FORCE FEED LUBRICATOR Filed March 28, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

Feb. 27, 1934. N. FRIES FORCE FEED LUBRICATOR Filed March 28, 19:2

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M INVENTOR.

BY p%%w ATTORNEY.

Feb. 27, 1934. FRlEs 1,949,272

FORCE FEED LUBRICATOR Filed March 28, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 2 M 9 BYPatented Feb. 27, 1934 UNITE STATES FORCE FEED LUBRICATOR ApplicationMarch 28, 1932. Serial No. 601,557

9 Claims. (01. 184-27) This invention relates to improvements in forcefeed lubricators of that class wherein lubricating fluid is suppliedunder pressure to places where required. An object of the invention isto provide in connection with a reservoir, a number of pumpingunitshaving complemental leads connected therewith, and actuating meanstherefor constructed and arranged so that any one of the units may bereadily removed from the reservoir independently without disturbing anyof the other units or the actuating means, to permit replacement of theunits when required. Other objects and advantages will appear in thefollowing description.

- An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a structure in which the invention isembodied, parts being broken away;

7 Fig. 2 is a detail cross section of members for adjusting the strokeof a pumping unit, the section being on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the structure with parts broken away;and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the appliance, the cover beingomitted.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention consists of a reservoir 1for holding a supply of lubricating fluid, a series of pumping units re-1 movably mounted in the reservoir, and actuating mechanism for theunits.

The reservoir 1 is preferably in the form of a box provided with aremovable cover 2 having a fill opening 3 that is closed by a suitablelid 4. The cover also has another opening 5 over which is positioned aglass dome 6 hereinafter referred to.

The pumping units each have a frame provided with horizontal and pendentportions 7 and 8 respectively. The horizontal portion of the frame hasan elongated vertical opening 9 therein and a tubular front endconstituting a pump cylinder 10. Also, the rear end of said portion istubular and constitutes a guide 11. The outer ends of the cylinder andguide are threaded internally and externally, each being provided withan adjusting collar 12 engaging the external threads thereof that bearsagainst the inner face of the adjacent end wall 13--14 of the reservoir.A head fixture 15 extends through the end wall 13 into the cylinder andhas engagement with the internal threads thereof, and is provided with ajamb-nut 16 that bears against the outer face of said wall, whereby thecorresponding end of the frame 7 is supported and secured in connectionwith the wall. The fixture is tubular and has therein a spring-pressedoutlet check valve 17 for controlling the outflow of fluid from thecylinder 10. The rear end of the frame 7 is supported in connection withthe end wall 14 of the reservoir by a sleeve nut 18 that extends throughy the wall into the end of the guide 11 with which it has threadedengagement, and bears against the outer face of said wall. In thismanner the frame is held firmly in adjusted position within thereservoir. 65

A yoke 19 is disposed in the slot 9 of the frame 7 and is provided atone end with a plunger 20 that extends into the pump cylinder 10, and atits opposite end with a stem 21 that extends into the. guide 11, theyoke, together with its plunger 70 and stem being adapted to havelongitudinal reciprocating movement relative to the frame. The pendentportion 8 of the frame '7 has a pump cylinder 22 provided with a checkvalve controlled intake 23, a check-valve controlled outlet 24 and 7 areciprocating plunger 25. Also, a screen 26 is secured to the framebeneath the cylinder through which liquid is drawn from the reservoirinto the intake 23.

The plunger of the supply pump A is 3.0- 80 tuated by a bell-crank 27that is secured by a pivot 28 to the frame. The lower arm of thebell-crank extends into a slot 29 in the plunger 25 and its upper armprojects into an elongated slot 30 in the stem 21. An adjusting screw 31is disposed axially in the outer end of the stem and projects into theslot 30 so as to contact with the upper arm of the bell-crank andactuate it during the forward stroke of the stem. The said upper arm hasmore or less play between 0 the adjusting screw and the opposite endwall of the slot 30 accordingly as said screw is adjusted and the strokelength of the plunger 25 is thus varied. The adjusting screw has anelongated hexagonal head 32 that extends into 5 the hexangonal bore of aswivel 33 which is totatively mounted in the sleeve nut 18, there beinga thimble 34 secured on the outer end of the swivel for manually turningit to thereby adjust the screw.

The cylinder 10 of the feed pump B has an intake 35 provided with a cup36 that extends through the opening 5 in the cover 2 into the dome 6 andreceive liquid from the supply pump A as it is delivered through theoutlet duct 3'? 105 and gooseneck 38 connected therewith.

The actuating mechanism for the pumping units has a drive-shaft 39 whichis rotatively mounted in bearing brackets 40 and 41 secured respectivelyin the side walls 42 and 43 of the 110 reservoir. The middle portion 39of the driveshaft is hexagonal and has mounted thereon an eccentric 44for each pumping unit and a bearing collar 45 adjacent each side of theec centric that extends through an opening 46 made in the correspondingside of the frame 7. The openings 46 extend through the adjacent loweredges of the frame so as to permit removal of the frame by raising itbodily from the reservoir. The collars 45 have bearing contact with thefaces of the frames 7 adjacent the correment of said frames is opposedin one direction as the yokes19 are driven in the opposite direction bytheir complemental-eccentrics 44. In this manner the end Walls 13 and 14of the reservoir are relieved of the brunt of the strokes of the feedpump, and also as the pressure of the collars against the frames isopposite the pressure of the corresponding eccentrics against the yokes,lateral flexure of the drive shaft is averted. 1 The front and rear ends19' and 19" of the yoke are spaced apart and the eccentric 44 isdisposed therebetween so that upon rotation of the eccentric the yoke isreciprocated. A chafing plate 47 is removably secured to the yoke so asto extend snugly between the inner face of its front end 19 and theeccentric, so that it may be conveniently renewed after becoming worn.The drive-shaft 39 is actuated by an operating lever 48 provided with adriving head 49 contain-' ing a ratchet member 50, preferably of theroll or type, which is secured on the shaft, so that when the lever isswung to and fro the shaft is rotatively progressed in one direction.Also, another similar ratchet member 51 disposed in the bearing bracket40 is secured to the shaft and acts to prevent retraction of the shaft.The head 49 is held in'operating position on the shaft by a nut 52threaded thereon, and the lever 48 has attached thereto a connectingrod53 by means of a suitable fixture 53. Reciprocating movementis'imparted'to the connectingirod by mechanical power derived from anysuitable source (not shown) by making a suitable connection therewith inthe usual manner. Upon the opposite end of the drive-shaft is looselymounted a hand crank 54 provided with jaws 55 on its hub that, areadapted to: have engagement with a pin 56 secured transversely in'theshaft when the crank is adjusted outwardly on the shaft. Also, the shafthas a portion 57 adjacent the hand crank shaped and threaded to receivethe driving head 49 and the nut .52 therefor. Thus, the mechanicalactuating means for the shaft may be selectively applied to either endthereof.

In using the appliance, the head fixture 15 on the feed pump of eachunit is connected by a leading or distributing pipe 58 with a bearing01' other part (not shown) requiring lubrication. The reservoir is thenfilled with theoil to be distributed, and the supply pumps of the units1 are primed by initially operating the hand crank.

As the drive-shaft is rotated the plungers of the supply and feed pumpsare reciprocated and oil from the supply pump is discharged through thegooseneck into the cup on the intake of the'feed 1' pump which may beobserved through the glass cylinder.

plunger the port is first closed thereby and the oil previously drawninto the cylinder is expelled therefrom throughthe head fixture into thedistributing pipe.

The quantityof oil fed into the distributing pipe is limited'accordingto the amount discharged from the supply pump into the intake cup of thefeed pump, which amount is dependent upon the stroke length of thesupply pump plunger 25. Should the discharge from the gooseneck beinsufficient, it may be increased by turning the thirnble 34 so as tomove the screw 31 inwardly whereby the play of the bell-crank in theslot 30 is. decreased and the stroke of the plunger 25 increased. 7 Or,by turning the screw outwardly the play of the bell-crank is increasedand the stroke of the plunger is correspondingly decreased, thusreducing the discharge from the gooseneck. This adjustment is preferablymade while the appliance is being operated by the mechanicalactuatingmeans; 1

One of the features of the invention is the manner in which the pumpingunits are connectedly related with the driving means and the reservoir,whereby the frames of the units overhang the drive-shaft so as to permitremoval of the .units readily without effecting the driving 'means. And,another feature is the provision of the collars 12 on the frames bywhichthe frames are adjustablycentered in the reservoir in proper relationwith the bearing members 45', and also the arrangement of the headfixture l5 and :the'

sleeve nut 18 in connection with the frame whereby upon loosening thecollars 12 and removal of the fixture and sleeve nut, the'pumping unitmay then be lifted free from the appliance and over hauled.This'fe'ature is especially desirable when numerous pumping units arearranged to be operated by the same drive-shaft. In such instances theappliance may continue in operation with the remaining units activeafter removal of any of the other units. As replacement of theindividual units may be easily'and quickly made without materialinterruption of the driving means and operation of the other units,shutting down of the equipment lubricated by'the inventionis obviated; 4a i I claim:

1. In alubricator, a'reservoir, a driving member rotatively mounted inthe reservoir providedwith eccentrics and complemental concentricbearing collars, ratchet mechanism actuating said driving member,pumping units disposed in said reservoir each provided with co-operatingsupplyand feed pumps and a frame supporting said pumps that bears uponthe corresponding collars/and having a yoke operatively connecting saidpumps with the corresponding eccentric, adjusting collars on each framerespectively engaging the opposite walls of said reservoir to centersaid frame relative to said driving member, means securing eachfr'ame tosaid walls, and leads connected respectively with the outlets of thefeed pumps of said units.

2. In a lubricator, a reservoir, a rotable drive-shaft mounted in thereservoir having eccentrics and complemental concentric bearings,actuating means for said drive-shaft, pumping units disposed in saidreservoir and actuated re spectively by said eccentrics, each having'a'frame that overhangs said drive-shaft and engages the correspondingconcentric bearings thereon, ad-

justing collars on'each frame respectively .en-

gaging the opposite walls of said reservoir to center the frame relativeto said drive-shaft, means extending through said walls engaging therespective frames to secure said frames in operative position, and leadsconnected respectively with said units.

3. In a lubricator, a reservoir, a rotatable driveshaft mounted in thereservoir having eccentrics and complemental concentric bearings,actuating means for said drive-shaft, pumping units disposed in saidreservoir and actuated respectively by said eccentrics, each having aframe that overhangs said drive-shaft and engages the correspondingconcentric bearings thereon, means extending through said walls engagingthe respective frames to secure said frames in operative position, andleads connected respectively with said units. a a a 4. In a lubricator,a reservoir, a driving member mounted in the reservoir, mechanism foractuating said driving member, a series of units, each having a supplypump and a feed pump, and a frame supporting said pumps that bears uponsaid driving member, a yoke actuated by said driving member connectedwith the plunger of said feed pump at one end and having a slotted stemextending from its opposite end guided in said frame, a pivotedbell-crank extending into the slot of said stem operatively engaging theplunger of said supply pump, an adjusting screw in said stem engageablewith said bell-crank limiting the play thereof in said slot to vary thestroke of the supply pump plunger, adjusting means for said screw, meansfor conveying the discharge from the supply pump to the intake of saidfeed pump, a lead connected with the outlet of said feed pump, and meansfor adjustably securing each unit in the reservoir with respect to thedriving member.

5. In a lubricator, a reservoir, a driving mem-- ber mounted in thereservoir and actuating means therefor, a pumping means disposed in thereservoir actuated by said member, including a feed pump and supply pumpfor delivering lubricant from the reservoir to the intake of the feedpump, and having a frame supporting said pumps, said frame having aportion overhanging said driving member that bears thereon provided withslots extending through the lower edges of the frame beneath said memberto permit the frame to be moved upwardly from engagement therewith, andmeans for securing said frame in connection with the walls of thereservoir adjustably with respect to said driving member.

6. In a lubricator, a reservoir, a driving member in the reservoirprovided with actuating means therefore, pumping units disposed in thereservoir, each unit having a feed pump and supply pump for deliveringlubricant from the reservoir to the intake of said feed pump, and havinga frame supporting said pumps that bears upon said member, a yoke ineach unit movable in the frame thereof operatively connected with thecorresponding feed pump and actuated by said driving member, a pivotedmember operatively connected with the supply pumpof each unit, means onthe yoke actuating the pivoted member including an adjusting screwdisposed to vary'the stroke of the supply pump plunger relative to thatof the yoke, and means for securing the frame of each unit in thereservoir adjustably with respect to said driving member.

7. In a lubricator, a reservoir, a driving member mounted in thereservoir provided with actuating means therefor, a pumping meansincluding a frame, a feed pump, a supply pump for delivering lubricantfrom the reservoir to the intake of the feed pump, mechanism actuated bysaid driving member operatively associated with said pumps provided withan adjusting screw to vary the stroke of said supply pump, securingmeans extending through opposite walls of said reservoir engagingcorresponding ends of said frame, adjusting collars on the said ends ofthe frame engageable with the corresponding inner faces of said oppositewalls to adjustably position said frame in said reservoir, and a swiveldisposed in the adjusting means for one end of said frame operativelyengaging said adjusting screw, said pumping means being bodily removablefrom said reservoir and driving member when said securing means areremoved and the adjusting means are loosened.

8. In a lubricator, a reservoir, a driving member mounted in thereservoir provided with actuating means therefore, a pumping meansincluding a frame, a feed pump, a supply pump for delivering lubricantfrom the reservoir to the intake of the feed pump, mechanism actuated bysaid driving member operatively associated with said pumps provided withan adjusting screw to vary the stroke of said supply pump, securingmeans extending through opposite walls of said reservoir engagingcorresponding ends of said frame, and adjusting collars on the said endsof the frame engageable with the corresponding inner faces of saidopposite walls to adjustably position said frame in said reservoir, saidpumping means being bodily removable from said reservoir and drivingmember when said securing means are removed and the adjusting means areloosened.

9. In a lubricator, a reservoir, a rotatable driving member supported bysaid reservoir, provided with an eccentric and a bearing adjacent eachside of said eccentric, actuating mechanism for said member, a pumpingunit including a pump frame supported by said reservoir and which hasengagement with the opposite sides of said bearings, and a plungermember operably disposed in said frame and having engagement with theopposite sides of said eccentric, said driving member, frame and plungermember being so arranged in the reservoir and disposed with respect toeach other that when the plunger member is actuated, endwise thrust ofthe frame against the walls of said reservoir is prevented by saiddriving member.

NESTOR FRIES.

